The former poet laureate of West Tisbury, Justen Ahren, stepped into his Island-wide laureate role with an April 30 reception at the West Tisbury Free Public Library.
When Mary Stewart Hammond’s poem The Big Fish Story was published in The New Yorker 10 years ago, her husband “was so mortified,” she said, “He went down to the Stop & Shop (and) bought every copy so his friends wouldn’t see it.”
Fan Ogilvie has a new book out called Easinesses Found. In addition to poems, her artwork fills the pages. An opening reception for her artwork will be held Jan. 9 from 4 to 5 p.m. at the West Tisbury Library. A poetry reading will be held on Jan. 23.
At a recent event at the Katharine Cornell Theatre I was crowned Martha’s Vineyard poet laureate, succeeding Lee McCormack. I was given a two-year term, a plastic laurel wreath and a toga.
Fanny Howe, whose latest book of poetry, Second Childhood, was nominated for the National Book Award, suggests that readers not try to understand her poems but rather just listen to the music of the words and images. Her collection centers around "the convergence between old age and childhood."
